ANAHEIM–Giants starter Derek Holland had faced Albert Pujols 39 times before they met in the sixth inning on Saturday night at Angel Stadium.

In the midst of their 40th battle, Holland mixed up his approach, employing a quick pitch to catch Pujols by surprise.

Youre always one pitch away from greatness and one pitch away from humility, Holland said. Today I got the humility.

The 18th-year veteran and Angels designated hitter wasnt fooled. He launched his 618th career home run into the right center field seats to put the Angels ahead for good in a 4-3 Giants loss.

It wasnt rookie star Shohei Ohtani who ruined Hollands night, as he was on the bench. It wasnt cleanup hitter Justin Upton, as he drew a walk. It wasnt even two-time MVP Mike Trout, who homered off Holland earlier in the game to knot up the score at 2-2.

Instead, it was Pujols, who drilled an 0-1 mistake for a two-run home run.

We could be saying something different if that ball is down, Holland said.

Though Giants starting pitchers have earned manager Bruce Bochys trust and loyalty with a string of impressive performances, the skippers leash proved too long for Holland on Saturday.

The ball got away from where he wanted to throw it and (Pujols) got ahold of it, Bochy said. Thats what really did Holly in, he threw the ball well. Just the long ball got him.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Giants left fielder Mac Williamson had to play the part of a goalie defending penalty kicks, as hitters at the top of the Angels order crushed three line drives at speeds greater than 90 miles per hour in his direction.

Williamson saved all three from hitting the grass, but it was the pitch hit to right field Holland wanted back.

With the game tied 2-2, the Giants starter issued a one-out walk to Upton before Pujols stepped to the plate.

He wasnt there long.

After working ahead 0-1, Holland threw Pujols a fastball up and out over the plate. There arent many 10-time All-Stars who miss mistakes, and Pujols smashed his 2,992nd career hit into the right center field bleachers.

Though Holland only surrendered five hits in six innings of work, he served up three home run balls and the Giants offense couldnt preempt the Angel Stadium Saturday night fireworks show with its own version.

Even after a Pablo Sandoval RBI double cut the Angels lead to 4-3 in the top of the eighth, the Giants couldnt continue a late rally that would have helped them secure their first series win of the season.

Despite sitting out his 30th birthday on Friday, Brandon Belt kept his home run streak alive with a round-tripper in the third straight game he played.

His two-run shot opened the scoring against Angels righty Garrett Richards and managed to spur a chaotic chain of events that riled up the crowd at Angel Stadium.

Belts blast into deep right center field barely cleared the yellow line at the top of the fence, and only did so after clanking off the outstretched glove of Trout. While umpires Doug Eddings and Marty Foster signaled for a home run, Sandoval attempted to race from first to home as the ball trickled back onto the outfield grass.

The Angels acted as if the ball remained playable, setting up a relay to throw Sandoval out at the plate. While a throw arrived well ahead of the Giants designated hitter, umpire Joe West swung his arms wide to call Sandoval safe, eliciting jeers and groans from the home crowd.

Moments later, Belt was able to jog home freely, but not before Eddings and Foster cleared him to do so.

I didnt even know it was a home run, I thought it was a double, Belt said.

The fact Sandoval was on base at all was the result of a fortunate break for the Giants, as he struck out in his first three at-bats against Richards. Sandoval reached after swinging at a breaking ball in the dirt that caromed off of catcher Rene Rivera and over toward the third base dugout.

He then advanced to second on a wild pitch that sailed over Riveras head, and by the time Richards found a happy medium, Belt was ready to do damage.

The Angels needed just two innings to even the score, as Holland allowed a solo home run to Jefry Marte in the bottom of the second before Trout launched a tying shot to deep left center field in the third. Trouts home run traveled 415 feet, and ensured that Holland would allow at least two runs for the fourth straight start.

After surrendering two runs in the first inning in each of his first three outings, Holland kept the Angels off the board in the opening frame Saturday, allowing a double to Trout before retiring the next two hitters in order.

Outside of Belts home run, the Giants struggled to square up Richards who maximized the the late movement on his pitches. Richards mid-90s fastball helped him tie his career high with 11 strikeouts, but he needed 104 pitches to navigate through six innings.

A lot of strikeouts tonight, Bochy said. We did some chasing. Their guy went to the slider, he probably threw 50 percent sliders tonight and we had a hard time laying off of it.

Four Angels relievers combined for six more strikeouts, as the Giants were set down on strikes 17 times in a nine-inning game for the first time since August 31, 1959.

The pitcher they faced that day was Sandy Koufax, who recorded 18 strikeouts including six against Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda.

Holland sends well wishes to former teammate

Chicago White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar suffered a brain hemorrhage during the sixth inning of his teams Friday contest and is in stable but critical condition at RUSH University Medical Center.

Farquhar played with Holland last season, and the Giants starter began his postgame comments with reporters by offering well wishes for his former teammates recovery.

Prayers are out to Danny Farquhar, Holland said. I tried to write his name on the mound. The dirt wasnt very well seen but hes a great guy and its extremely sad to see what has happened. Im praying for him and wish him nothing but the best.